More patients are now opting for laser-assisted surgery to treat cataracts.

More patients are now opting for laser-assisted surgery to treat cataracts.

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Updated: 7:52 PM EST Feb 5, 2015

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WEBVTT NOW, COVERAGE THAT YOU CAN COUNT ON CONTINUES. TONIGHT, REMOVING CATARACTS. NEW TECHNOLOGY IS MAKING IT MORE PRECISE. BONNIE MURREN IS HERE AT MAY EYE CARE TO HAVE A SECOND CATARACT REMOVED. CATARACTS OCCUR WHEN THE CLEAR LENS OF YOUR EYE GETS HARDER AND TURNS YELLOWISH BROWN. THINGS AREN'T VERY CRISP AND CLEAR, I CAN'T SEE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. BUT THE 67-YEAR-OLD ISN'T HAVING TRADITIONAL CATARACT SURGERY, SHE'S UNDERGOING LASER ASSISTED SURGERY. I PRE-PROGRAMMED HER LASER CATARACT SURGERY INTO THE LASER. THE LASER MAKES TWO INCISIONS. IT ALSO CUTS A CIRCLE IN THE CAPSULE AROUND THE CATARACT AND SLICES THE CATARACT INTO TINY CUBES. IT CUTS IT EXACTLY WHERE I WANT IT, THE EXACT SIZE. IT'S MUCH MORE ACCURATE THAN USING METAL BLADES. THE SECOND PART OF THE SURGERY TAKES PLACE HERE. THIS IS A TRADITIONAL OPERATING ROOM. THE FIRST THING GOING TO DO IS OPEN UP INCISION MADE UPSTAIRS. IT'S HERE DR. MAY SEPARATES THE CATARACT FROM THE CAPSULE AROUND IT AND REMOVES THE CATARACT WITH A TUBE. I NEED ALMOST NO ENERGY TO GET THESE PIECES OUT BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL BROKEN OUT. HE LATER INSERTS AN ARTIFICIAL LENS WITH A PLASTIC NEEDLE AND IN BONNIE'S CASE , CORRECTS AN ASTIGMATISM. HALF OF THE CATARACT PATIENTS AT MAY EYE CARE ARE NOW OPTING FOR THE LASER ASSISTED SURGERY. BUT IT'S AN ADDITIONAL $1500 AN EYE AND NOT ALL INSURANCE WILL COVER THE DIFFERENCE. LUCKILY ENOUGH, PEOPLE INTERESTED IN USING IT ITS -- MAKES IT MORE AFFORDABLE. GLORIA ANDERSON SAYS IT WAS WORTH IT. I'D RATHER HAVE THE LASER ON MY EYE THAN THE KNIFE.

8 On Your Side: Removing cataracts

More patients are now opting for laser-assisted surgery to treat cataracts.